NZ court accepts Sahu Khan

BARRED Fiji lawyer and former Fiji Football Association president Dr Shamsud-Dean Sahu Khan has been admitted to practise as a criminal barrister in New Zealand.

However, he is not allowed to operate as a solicitor.

According to the Independent Legal Services Commission records, Dr Sahu Khan was first suspended from practising on May 4, 2011, after being found guilty of professional misconduct in March of the same year.

The complaint was made by a client over dealings in regards to a piece of land and Dr Sahu Khan was ordered to pay $120,000 to the complainant and fined by the ILSC.

On July 27, 2011, it was discovered Dr Sahu Khan used other clients' money held in his trust account to pay for the fine and that he had also absconded to New Zealand.

Subsequently, the ILSC on October 5, 2011, found Dr Khan guilty of nine counts of professional misconduct and unsatisfactory professional conduct for further dealings involving land.

A day later he was banned from practising for 10 years and the New Zealand Bar, informed of this, did not allow Dr Sahu Khan to practise.

At a hearing this week, New Zealand Law Society lawyer Paul Collins said although the ban imposed on Dr Sahu Khan was harsh, there were still concerns about him recognising conflict of interest situations and trying to sue one of the people who made a complaint against him in Fiji.

Tribunal chairwoman Judge Dale Clarkson said Dr Sahu Khan would not be able to apply for a solicitor's certificate.